Special-purpose modeling techniques for ringsail parachutes

The Team for Advanced Flow Simulation and Modeling (T☆AFSM) at Rice University developed and advanced stabilized space-time fluid-structure interaction (SSTFSI) technique for the purpose of accurately modeling complex fluid dynamics conditions in which fluid and structure effects are mutually dependent. Sometimes simulation complexity requires reduction to levels commensurate with current computational capabilities. Here, special techniques have been developed to accommodate particular challenges in modeling the complicated geometry of ringsail and ribbon parachutes, namely: geometric smoothing and porosity homogenization. Geometric smoothing of the fluid interface decreases the level of intricacy of the fluid mesh while allowing a geometrically authentic structure mesh. Porosity homogenization allows for a representative projection of structure mesh properties to a corresponding incompatible fluid interface mesh